6 posts tagged “movies”

If you're looking for a book, movie or DVD this weekend, here's what I've enjoyed lately:

In Theaters
I wasn't sure I wanted to see "Dan In Real Life" but I'm so glad I did.  The story was funny, touching and compelling despite the presence of Dane Cook. 

Now I want to go to that family vacation house and fall for the awkward, angry and annoying yet sweet, deep and endearing Steve Carrell.  And all that cooking together, playing games together, enjoying each other's company -- are families really like that?

To Rent Or Buy

There's a chain of DVD rental stores going out of business here in Austin, so I stopped by to see the heavily discounted titles they had left.  Most of them were films I've never heard of presumably because they were so very bad, and I was entertained just by walking around looking at the horrid titles and covers (Gina Gershon, you have made some bad choices).
 

But I picked up DVDs of two movies I really liked and it only cost me $6!  "The Baxter" was written and directed by Michael Showalter and stars Michelle Williams with appearance by the usual suspects (Paul Rudd, Michael Ian Black, David Wain).  "How To Lose Your Lover" is another romantic comedy starring probably nobody you've ever heard of (except Tori Spelling, but don't hold that against the film).  The premise is that the main character decides to tell everyone the truth, which ruins all his friendships, and on his way out of town he runs into a woman who he starts to fall for.  He keeps up the truth-telling, assuming it will scare her away, and hilarity ensues.  It really is a funny film and a creative script.

In Bookstores
You might remember the "one red paperclip" internet phenomenon that happened a year or so ago, in which case the book about it will probably not interest you.  But if you're like me and you hadn't heard anything about it, it's an interesting read.  The author annoyed me a little bit with constantly trying to be quirky and clever, but the overall message is cool and he tells the story with a nice quick pace.  I'll admit I cried a little at the end.  Even though it's heavy-handed in its this story will inspire you agenda, it still inspired me.

"Walking in Circles Before Lying Down" is about a woman struggling through her life surrounded by interesting characters, and then suddenly one day dogs start talking to her.  Dog owners or dog lovers such as myself will be amused at what the dogs have to say, but this book is well written and Markoe has a uniquely witty voice. 

I saw "2 Days In Paris" this weekend and it wasn't at all what I expected.

It's written, directed and edited by the multi-talented Julie Delpy who you probably know best from "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset".  Her film bears some similarities to the Linklater ones, in that it's conversation-heavy and focuses on a couple, but I was surprised at how funny and bawdy the film is.  The scenes are lively, well-acted, unexpected and kept me intrigued to see what would happen next.  She showed no fear in tackling some touchy subjects, and I was impressed at how she captured the often radically different points of view of both her own character and Adam Goldberg's.  The casting of her real parents as her character's parents in the film added an extra layer of interest.  I kept wondering how many scenes might have held snippets from her real life. 

I told one of my friends about the film and he scoffed with disinterest over seeing a "chick flick".  As much as that term rankles me on many levels, I assure you this is no "chick flick".  The film's not perfect by any means but, just as in life and relationships, even the flaws are worthwhile.

I caught a little bit of "Roadside Prophets" on IFC last night.  John Cusack's got a great scene in it.  Let's watch:

The best part is when he winks.

I'm not exactly recommending This Too Will Pass by The One AM Radio, but I do want to share the lyrics from one song.  The CD is nice enough, if you're in the mood for something extremely mellow you should check it out, but these lyrics to "In The Time We've Got" are pretty captivating. 

I took you to the place where I was born.  You said that it was just as I'd described.  We moved in soon after the days turned warm, just in time to see the spring arrive.  I watched you through the windows in our room.  Your hair grew long under the arbor shade.  Our love was new, but the hour grew late too soon; how suddenly that honeyed light would fade.  You had the city in you.  Always in the way you moved were the skyline and the avenues.  You had the city in you, I knew.  When the autumn came, the leaves turned one by one, 'til the barren trees were left to stand alone.  You still felt the same, you said, as since we had begun, but a longing crept into the eyes I'd known.  I watched you pack; I was rooted to the spot.  We fell asleep awhile beneath the oak.  "It's our job to live as well as we can in the time we've got," was written in the note I found when I woke.  You had the city in you.  Always in the way you moved were the skyline and the avenues.  You had the city in you, I knew.  So before the weary ache wore through, you slipped back into the avenues.

Maybe Hrishikesh Hirway can have a career as a novelist if the singer-songwriter thing doesn't work out.  Listen to "In The Time We've Got" or download it.

I saw the film Paris, Je t'aime this weekend.  It's 18 vignettes about love in/for Paris each by a different noted director, so it is, as you would guess, quite a patchwork of stories.  It's worth seeing for a few different reasons, but what fascinated me most was the sheer challenge of telling an entire story in five or so minutes, and seeing solutions from different minds in back-to-back succession, with hardly time to pause and absorb in between.   Go see it while it's still in theaters (but only after you've seen "Once".)

I'd gone to RottenTomatoes.com to skim the reviews beforehand, and several of the critics used the word "omnibus" to describe the film.  So after heading to dictionary.com, I learned a new word this weekend.  Problem is, it's such a specific term that I might only find one or two opportunities to use it in the remainder of this lifetime, and it's one of those words that you can't just throw into conversation without sounding like a pretentious jerk.  Because no one knows what omnibus means without looking it up.  OK maybe one of you knew.  Mind you, I love strange, specific and unwieldy words, but words are meant to convey meaning, not stump people.

Vox is serving me up Jeff Buckley banner ads.  I have no idea how I feel about this.

Sometimes I get really good promo emails at my SFist email address.

This is for my friend Nick:

Midtown lead Gabe Saporta has joined Maja Ivarssen from the Sounds, William Beckett from the Academy Is... and Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes to form COBRA STARSHIP. Their single "Snakes on a Plane" (Bring It) is featured on the dynamic film soundtrack featuring tracks by Cee-Lo, All-American Rejects and The Hush Sounds. The soundtrack hits stores 8/15. The movie Snakes on a Plane will be in theaters on 8/18.

I even think he says "Snakes on a Blog" at the very end of the song.

Enter for a chance to win a HOMETOWN screening of Snakes on a Plane for you and 100 friends here: http://www.snakesonaplane.com/fansweeps/ 

An acquaintance of mine, Mark Duplass of The Duplass Brothers , has a new movie out called The Puffy Chair .  The folks from Sundance and SXSW Film dug it and even Ebert & Roeper gave it two thumbs up.

You should watch the trailer.

(Did you spot the homage to Cusack?)

I might have first met Mark from back when I lived in Austin, but I remember (re)meeting him in NYC, maybe at a Chocolate Genius show in Brookyn?  I for sure saw him when his band Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! toured through San Francisco a few years ago back when my friend Sef was managing the band.

I really loved Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!   It's weird, manic, keyboardy and somehow manages to make really good sense to me.  Here's a funny/frightening song about stalking your ex after a breakup.